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2016 Bucket List

In 2016, I want to continue exploring the world and experiencing new countries and cultures, but I want to spent more time with my family and discovering my new backyard – California. I’ve decided to limit my international travel to one trip every two months and spend more time in the amazing state that I call home.

Adventures:
Hike to Ruby Falls, Chattanooga
Travel by campervan
Rock climbing with Athena
Ride on a riverboat with Athena
Mall of America (The largest mall in the US)
Fly a Warbird
PADI certification
Hike Rock City in Chattanooga
Hang gliding
Ride the Skunk Train through redwoods
Ride on Tennessee Valley Railroad
Go off-roading in dune buggies
Wine tasting in California
Follow Route 66
Underwater Scooter Adventure
Seaplane Flight Tour
Canyoning
Take the train across several states with Athena

Family:
Camp on the beach with Athena and Darren
Teach Athena to use a mask and snorkel
Stay at LEGOLAND hotel
Aquarium of the Pacific
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Take Athena for her first ski lesson
Take Athena to Disneyland on her birthday
Universal Studios Hollywood
Ride the Ferris wheel in Santa Monica
Ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tram with Athena
Take Athena paddle boarding
Spend a month in Canada with my family
Take Athena boogie boarding for the first time
Create an outdoor space in our yard that we love

What’s on your list? The more you share it, think about it, and put it out there, the more likely you are to accomplish your dreams.

We visited Palm Springs a few years ago but I was 8 months pregnant with Athena and struggled with doing much in the heat. I’d like to return and experience it with her at my side rather than kicking me from the inside. 😉

Need to save my pennies for 2017 which we hope to go to New Zealand! This year, I’d like to go to the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter if I feel up to dealing with the inevitable crowds. If you make it up to Napa for wine tasting, you’ll be in my neighborhood 🙂

I dig the sentiment. Why only be curious about an area if you don’t live there? I wish I could help you, but my Santa Clara knowledge is pretty limited. I took an SAT prep course there whose primary benefit was accidentally proving that a Mazda MPV minivan was capable of doing 90 on the freeway. (How ever do we survive being 16?) I’ll be curious to see what you find.

I would have added half of California to the list if it wasn’t getting out of hand already. I’ll be driving from San Diego to San Francisco at the end of the month and I hope to do 6 extensive California road trips this year. We could have lived anywhere in the world and we chose California. I want to explore all of it.

I desperately advocate the beauty of the whole world, but I won’t deny a tinge of pleasure that y’all chose California. I grew up in the SF Bay Area and settled in Oakland a couple years ago when I came back to the US. I recommend this town too. Maybe for 2017’s list? 😉

And while you’re circa Santa Clara, there’s a restored classic theater in downtown Palo Alto, shows old movies, if you’re into that sort of thing. http://www.stanfordtheatre.org/

I couldn’t agree more with seeing as much as humanly possible. This time last year I was sailing to Antarctica on tall ship, Bark Europa. I visited 8 new countries last year and I have 6 in mind for this year. There’s just so much to experience that my list keeps getting longer and longer. I was just looking at Seychelles before typing this message to you. How to fit it all in?

I visited Oakland five years ago and truly enjoyed my stay. We spent a week there during a home exchange.

Where were you living outside of the states? I’m Canadian originally but I’ve been living in the US for almost 6 years.

It won’t let me add another response on that chain… Finicky wordpress gremlins.
I lived in Belgium on and off for a couple years, stints in Nepal and Curacao, but mostly wandered.
What did you think of the Antarctica trip?

The Antarctica trip was the greatest travel adventure of my life. I was part of the training crew and responsible for manning the helm, hauling the lines, and being on watch. The entire experience was unbelievable. I felt like a pirate 😉

Curacao sounds like an odd stop among the others. I do love the country though, especially the people. I worked with the tourism board there a couple years ago and still chat with my host and his family. Did you visit Bonaire and Aruba while you were there?

That Antarctica trip sounds truly amazing. I’ve been reading your blog for (what I’m pretty sure is) years now, but I think I missed a big section there! I’m at a 9 day conference starting today, and don’t expect to have much mental bandwidth, but when I get back I’ll have to do likewise and catch up!

I was in Curacao teaching English. It was definitely different from most other places I’ve been. If I had to pick its closest relative, I’d say South Africa. It was basically apartheid. Kind of ironic that it was also a Dutch colony? Yikes. That’s a whole other topic…
I didn’t make it over to either Bonaire or Aruba. Should I have? Next time?

Well if you find yourself in my neck of the woods, or beach, please let me know. I’d love to host you. We have a small house but we’re close to the beach and love guests. I think I could chat for hours about your travels and similar experiences. My Facebook is – https://www.facebook.com/lesleymcarter. It would be great to stay in touch that way as well.

wow and all this in one year only? This is impressive especially because there are destinations and adventures everywhere across the world! I want to make sure that 2016 helps me cover all the places in Asia I have yet to visit and some unexpected surprises

My 2016 list isn’t nearly as extensive or exciting as yours! We’re planning England, Italy, Germany, Dubai, Qatar and Maldives for our International trips. We do like to stay closer to home on the weekends and throughout the year too. There’s so much to see in the U.S.!

Interesting… I’m at the same point. Really feeling the hometown CA love. I have been asked about my own hometown/ state/ country while on my travels. I realized how much of it I hadn’t explored yet. Or at least not locally. Funny touring our own towns doesn’t sound interesting and yet when you look at them through a tourist perspective all the sudden they are much more exciting!! We should meet up when you come to Temecula (it’s our town).

I’ve been coming across a lot o bucket lists recently, but never made one myself, just living from day to day and getting on adventures as they present themselves suited my desire to travel. Since I am temporarily “semi-settled” at the moment (mostly to keep my Greencard), it might be a good time for one of those bucket lists! No paper is big enough and no screen can possibly contain everything I hope to experience and accomplish, though. 🙂